BPO firm bullish on Phl, eyes 35% hike in workforce

MANILA, Philippines – Transcom Philippines, a unit of Luxemburg-based Transcom Worldwide S.A., is bullish about the prospects of the local information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry and is set to increase its workforce by 35 percent.

Transcom Philippines Asia-Pacific country manager and head of sales Siva Subramaniam said the country’s IT-BPO industry has continued to expand since 2009, prompting the company to expand its presence in the Philippines by beefing up its current workforce of 10,000.

“We expect to grow the number of our employees by 35 percent this year. Perhaps our plans could be a bit aggressive but any growth we see from our current staffing levels would be seen as significant,” Subramaniam said.

The latest Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) now known as Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) quarterly survey revealed a sustained, high level of optimism for the industry in the next 12 months despite heightened concern over the availability of an adequate and dependable supply of knowledge workers.

The survey covered 179 executives across more than 20 IT-BPO and shared services sectors, which also signaled a continued shift from mostly voice-based process services to more diverse and high-value knowledge-based services.

Data showed that IT-BPO companies generated $13.5 billion in revenues, exceeding the $13 billion target last year and 22-percent more than the previous year’s $11 billion projection.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

“We are, therefore, able to surmise that stability for BPO revenues are indeed consistently going higher with employment record of 720,000 entering 2013. This momentum is good for the country,” Subramaniam stressed.

With the entry of new service areas and more opportunities emerge in the global outsourcing market, the Philippine information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) and global in-house center (GIC) is expected to generate $16 billion in revenues this year.

The IT-BPM and GIC industry is expected to further grow in the next three years with revenues reaching $25 billion by 2016 while providing direct employment to 1.3 million Filipinos, and supporting 3.2 million indirect jobs.

“Yes, our outlook and forecast is similar to that forecasted by IBPAP,” he added.

IBPAP is the enabling association for the IT-BPM and GIC industry in the Philippines.

“We are bullish of the growth of the IT-BPM and GIC industry in the Philippines and we at Transcom will contribute to this anticipated growth as we gain more clients — clients who believe in Transcom’s passion for customer satisfaction and excellence,” Subramaniam said.

He said Transcom’s growth will be driven not only by the growth of its international clients but domestic or local customers as well.

“The Philippine economy is growing and so is the need for support services to achieve its economic gains. The BPO industry is well prepared to address the country’s growth,” the official said.

Transcom acquired a Canadian-owned company, Nucomm International in 2007 and built its first Philippines showcase center in Frontera Verde, Pasig City. This was followed by several site built-outs, of which, the most recent one was the site along EDSA, Mandaluyong which was opened August of last year.

The company also currently has two sites in Iloilo and Bacolod, whose locations are strategically located for its employees as well as its applicants. –Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star)